CHORLEY: “A CLUB ON THE UP”

1 February 2013

Mitchell Jones

Boro Player caught up with new signing Ben Chorley this morning after the central defender secured his deadline day switch to Stevenage late last night.

Speaking about how to move to Hertfordshire came about, Chorley said “It was just the normal story really, I found out through various parties that there was some interest and I know Gary [Smith] from a few years ago in my Wimbledon days and once I found out that there was interest it was time to have a chat and speak to my old club, Leyton Orient, and go from there really.”

It was back in 2003 that his switch to then Championship side Wimbledon came about and it was at the same time as Gary Smith moved into a coaching role at the club.

It is a time that both remember fondly, Smith spoke about working with Ben in our website exclusive yesterday, and Boro’s new defender continued in that vein.

“We done some work together – I got transferred from Arsenal to Wimbledon 8 or 9 years ago and when I got there Gary welcomed me to be honest. He was the reserve team manager who oversaw the younger lads and I was only 20 at the time so I got to work and train with him quite a bit. We spoke quite a bit off the pitch as well and I got on with him really well, he was a young coach at the time and I was a young player so he helped me.

“It was a massive factor [in joining the club], I speak to other players that he has worked with and we know quite a few of the same people being London lads and they all speak with a lot of character about Gary and say how good he is as a coach. The boys that I have spoken to in the game say the same thing, so he is a massive factor in me coming here and hopefully doing well”.

He described former club Orient as a side that he has “no animosity” towards, and said that he hopes that feeling is mutual come Saturday, but explained that the move to Boro was a chance “to start afresh, a new beginning.”

He continued “I’ve just turned 30 so I feel like I’m in my prime and I’m raring to go.”

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